4 Tips to Stay Healthy this Cold and Flu Season

Autumn is here, and there’s so much to love about it- from the beautiful falling leaves to football to an astounding array of pumpkin-spice flavored food and drinks, we couldn’t be happier to celebrate fall! However, the dropping temperatures also serve as a harbinger of the beginning of the dreaded cold and flu season. Keep yourself and your family protected from nasty cold and flu germs this winter with these tips:

1. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!- We simply can’t stress this one enough. The mere act of washing your hands several times a day can kill cold and flu germs before they have a chance to invade your body. Make sure to use warm water and soap, and do it for long enough to sing the ABC song through once.

2. Avoid face time- You wouldn’t believe how often you touch your face in a day. From scratching your ear to rubbing your eyes, you probably make contact with your face over 20 times a day without realizing it! Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, mouth and ears to prevent cold and flu germs from entering your body via your fingers.

3. Disinfect your phone- Research shows that a mobile phone typically has more germs on it than a public toilet seat, yet we don’t often clean our mobile devices as we should to disinfect them. Use a safe-for-electronics cleanser and a soft microfiber cloth to gently clean the surface of your phone as well as any buttons on the side, and be sure to remove it from its case and clean between the cracks too. While you’re at it, clean your remote controls, computer keyboard, steering wheel and gearshift of your car and your keys- these oft-overlooked items that we use multiple times each day are positively teeming with germs!

4. Rest is best- If after all this you or your family members still fall victim to a cold or the flu, make sure to take it easy and have a day of rest. If you aren’t feeling well don’t send yourself to work or your kids to school. Not only does this aid in spreading germs to others, but it also increases the length of time it will take you to make a full recovery. Give yourself a break and catch up on valuable rest when you’re run down.

Do you have any home remedies for staying healthy during cold and flu season? Let us know in the comments section. 

Really, What Is The Best Time of The Year To Buy Appliances?

You’ve been seeing the commercials; the ads in the magazines, your fridge just decided to give up, or you moved into a new home and the appliances are avocado green from the seventies. There are so many reason why you may of started you appliance shopping journey, and one of the most important questions you’re asking yourself is “how” and/or “am I getting the best deal possible”.  Chances are you’ve seen an ad from Home Depot, Lowes, and even us Interstate Appliance and every week there seems to be some special deal or sale going on; and you’re stuck questioning when to buy. Or even worse you’re forced to buy right now, and waiting is not an option. If you take a few moments to review these tips you’ll be more prepared no matter the time you buy.

Expert Tip: If you don’t take anything from this article outside of this one tip you’re going to be in great shape. No matter where you purchase, make sure the retailer has a price match guarantee. But wait; not all price match guarantees are created equal. Make sure your retailer just doesn’t price match the day of the purchase but for at least 30 days after the purchase.

Recap: If the retailer will not price match 30 days after the purchase, even against their prices: DO NOT BUY!

Now that we’ve discussed one extremely important item to appliance shopping in general, lets talk about the best times of the year to buy appliances. Okay, let’s play a little game; take a few moments and think what the world and maybe even you think the best time of the year to buy appliances? 

………. …… Let me guess you said “Black Friday”? While Black Friday generally has some great deals, fun door busters, and lines around the corner; the best appliance deals are rarely during Black Friday; or even in the 4^th Quarter.

Okay, you’ve waited long enough; the best deals and the best time to buy appliances is over the 4^th of July holiday. However, don’t just focus on that one day; chances are most retailers will start their 4^th of July pricing weeks before. Yes, that means you don’t have to rush to shop for appliances on one of the most fun family days of the year. Let’s make these numbers real so you can understand the discounts a little better.

At Interstate Appliance we are known for the value we offer in our prices; our customers love to tell us how much money they’ve saved just by walking through our doors. We like when our customers save money, it makes us happy; and we know it’ll make you happy.

• Everyday customers on average save 15% when shopping with us over the competition.
•  During the 4^th of July our customers have reported saving over 27% – 33% over the competition! WOW!
•   In comparison to ‘Black Friday’ where our customers reported savings from 21% - 28%

Now that that’s cleared up we can’t wait to hear from you; so we can learn more about your project and partner together and find the right appliances for your needs and wants. 

Recipe- Pumpkin Bread

      Fall is upon us once again, which can mean only one thing- time for pumpkin EVERYTHING!! Here’s a recipe for pumpkin bread that is perfect for enjoying with a cup of hot apple cider on a crisp fall evening.

Prep time: 15 min. Bake time: 65-70 mins. plus 10 mins. for cooling

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ cup canola oil

½ cup water

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

½ cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first eight ingredients. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and water; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and raisins, if desired.
2.    Pour into greased 9x5” loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Approx. 65-70 mins.) Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes one loaf (16 slices).

Why Invest in a Convection Microwave?

When shopping for a new microwave there can be more options available than you may know. A commonly asked question is “why would we need/want convection in our microwave”?  When shopping for a new microwave, please consider the following:

1. How do we want to use our microwave? Do we need a unit that we can use as a primary cooking vessel, or simply a reheat machine?
2. Where are we going to put our microwave? Do we want a counter-top unit or a unit that we can mount over-the-range?
3. Who is going to use the microwave? Will the kids be using it, or do mom & dad do all the cooking?

    If you are cooking for your family on a regular basis, having a convection microwave can be an invaluable addition to your kitchen.  A convection microwave can be used to bake, roast, and broil.  It can truly be used as a secondary oven.  If you would like to have a microwave that you can use for more than just a bag of popcorn, or a baked potato, then you should seriously consider a convection microwave. Nothing heated in a microwave will ever be browned or crispy.  Pizza, egg rolls, pizza pockets, chicken tenders, and French fries are always better in the oven or the deep fryer, and you would never cook pork chops or a pie in your microwave…..right???  Well, now you can!  With the benefits of a convection microwave, you will truly have a second oven at your disposal.  Prepare your main dish in your standard oven, have your casserole or dessert in your microwave….yes, I said your microwave. 

Contact us today so we can help you pick out the right microwave for you and your family. They are available in counter-top, and over-the-range models, ranging from $399 and up.

What’s the deal with all the choices?

     Walk into your friendly neighborhood appliance store and the first thing you’ll notice is a collage of color and material choices your appliances can come in.  Black, White, Stainless Steel, Slate, Black Glass, White Ice, Uber Glass Finish, Colored Stainless, Retro Colors, Modern Colors, Precious Metals, etc.  What happened to the good ol’ days when all you had to decide was whether you wanted a frost or frostless freezer?

     The truth of the matter is appliance manufacturers recognize consumers want more choices.  Everyone wants to make their home unique and “their own.”  Today’s appliance market offers more choices than ever to help accomplish this.  From a Big Chill Buttercup Yellow Retro Fridge to a BlueStar Infused Copper Gas Range; you can pretty much find whatever custom look you are going for in your home.  So get out there, look at what’s available and bring home something that will make your kitchen different than any other on the block.

Like one of these Samsung French Door Refrigerators? Find your perfect color here.